NHL draft pick | CollegeHockeyPlayers

18Dec

Carl Sneep(4) and Benn Ferriero(21)

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A pair of ex-Boston College Eagles‘ teammates, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ defenseman Carl Sneep(4) and Worcester Sharks‘ center Benn Ferriero(21) discuss old times together at the Conte Forum.

Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#32 overall) received his first NHL call-up in two seasons of play. In his first AHL season, he racked up 4 goals and 13 assists but was a monstrous +17 plus/minus. Through 27 games games, he has 9 assists this season and is a +6.

He had 16:19 of ice time, got an assist and was a +1 in his debut.

12/19: Sneep was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pens.

17Dec

Drew MacIntyre(31) Rochester Americans

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9th year Rochester Americans‘ goaltender Drew MacIntyre(31) keeps an eye on the play in front of his net.

He was originally picked by Detroit Red Wings in the 4th round of the 2001 draft (#121 overall) and spent the first three years of his pro career with their AHL and ECHL affiliates before getting a short chance in the NHL with Vancouver Canucks, where he made a couple of appearances.

From there he bounced around in the minors signing one-year deals with Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers and Montreal Canadiens before inking another one-year two-way contract with Buffalo Sabres for the 2011/2012 season, ultimately ending up in Rochester.

He has played in 250 AHL games.

17Dec

Leland Irving(37) Calgary Flames

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After 4 years in Calgary Flames‘ system, 2006 1st round pick (#26 overall) goaltender Leland Irving(37) got the call-up and played probably as well as you can in his debut 3-2 shootout loss. He backstopped 39 of 41 shots in regulation posting a 1.85 GA and .951 SV%.

He has always been pretty steady between the pipes in 143 AHL appearances with their affiliate Abbotsford Heat. Last season he played in 61 games for the team. In 23 games this season he’s already posted a pretty handy 15 wins, 7 losses record.

In the offseason he only signed for one more year with the Flames after his 3-year entry level contract expired.

He wears the same number 37 in both leagues.

17Dec

Matt Taormina(20) New Jersey Devils

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3rd year defenseman Matt Taormina(20) was originally signed to an AHL contract with Lowell Devils in 2009/2010 and showed his scoring spark in his rookie season with 10 goals and 40 assists in 75 games.

He earned his first NHL contract last season with New Jersey appearing in 17 games (3 goals, 2 assists) before succumbing to an ankle injury that derailed his campaign.

To start 2011/2012, he was assigned to their AHL affiliate Albany Devils. In 23 games, he put up 4 goals and 8 assists and was recalled by New Jersey when they lost a defenseman to the ir. In 3 games he’s put up an assist and looks to be regaining the form that earned him his contract.

16Dec

Cody Almond(12) Minnesota Wild

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3rd year, Minnesota Wild 2007 3rd round pick (#140 overall) center Cody Almond(12) is in the final year of his entry level contract and has played 22 NHL games on call-up from their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros over the last few seasons.

He’s found himself a nice spot on the Wild. Since his recall in the beginning of December, he’s appeared in 7 games scoring 1 goal while playing an average of 12 minutes a game.

It helps that Mike Yeo, his coach with the Wild is the same guy who coached him to the Calder Cup Finals with Houston last year.

Almond has put up 2 goals and 5 assists in 10 games with the Aeros this season but due to some glitch, since his recall his name or stats are nowhere to be found on the team’s site.

12/19: After 8 games with the Wild, Almond is reassigned to Houston.

16Dec

Drayson Bowman(27) Carolina Hurricanes

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3rd year Carolina Hurricanes‘ prospect, wing Drayson Bowman(27) doubled his NHL career goal scoring numbers and games played in the 2011/2012 season in one night on his most recent call-up from the AHL Charlotte Checkers.

He now has 4 goals and 1 assist in 36 games played. In 23 games with the impressive Checkers he’s a +6 with 8 goals and 6 assists in 23 games.

He’s in the last year of his entry level draft contract. He’ll likely sign an extension, as he’s a good fit in the Hurricanes‘ style of game.

16Dec

Calvin de Haan (12)

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New York Islanders‘ 2009 1st round pick (#12 overall) rookie defenseman Calvin de Haan(12) received his first call-up from their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he was assigned at the beginning of the season.

In 22 AHL games he scored 2 goals and 6 assists.

He played a total of 13:01 ice time in his first game, had a couple of shots on net and went a +1 plus/minus in the team’s 3-2 loss vs. Dallas Stars.

12/16: de Haan is reassigned to Bridgeport.

15Dec

Dane Byers(34) Columbus Blue Jackets

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6th year wing Dane Byers(34) received his first call-up to his new team Columbus Blue Jackets and played in his first NHL game in a couple of seasons.

He was originally a 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft (#48 overall) by New York Rangers. He played over 250 games in their system with their AHL affiliate, Hartford Wolf Pack and appeared in 6 games of two seasons with the Blueshirts scoring one goal.

Last season was an interesting one for him as he was involved in three minor league deals that had him go first to Springfield Falcons, then San Antonio Rampage to finish the year.

In the offseason, the Blue Jackets signed the unrestricted free agent to a one-year, tw0-way contract. He is the current team captain for Springfield and shows great leadership on the ice.

14Dec

Zach Hamill(9) Boston Bruins

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In his fourth and final year of his entry level contract, Boston Bruins‘ 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#8 overall) center/left wing Zach Hamill(9) is finding his game and answering the call.

In 3 NHL games this season he’s had two rather nice assists. In 7 games over three seasons, he has yet to light the lamp but give him some more games this year and that’s almost a sure thing to happen.

I have the theory that at this point the team is just trying to showcase him as much as possible and he will be used as trade bait. It’s doubtful the Bruins‘ organization will hold onto him for a fifth season.

13Dec

Pierre Dagenais(26) Akwesasne Warriors

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14-year veteran wing Pierre Dagenais(26) has spent the last couple of seasons playing in the single A level Federal Hockey League with Akwesasne Warriors and even won the Commissioner’s Cup with the team, as the league’s best.

He’s the leading scoring so far this season with 28 goals and 20 assists in 17 games and a crazy +21 plus/minus.

He’s almost strictly a one-way player for the team and seemingly moves with incredible finesse at half speed out there and never takes the body against the opposing team’s player.

In 142 NHL games most notably with Montreal Canadiens, he put up 35 goals and 23 assists.

New Jersey Devils actually drafted him twice, once in 1996 (2nd round #47 overall) and again in 1998 (4th round #105 overall) and played for four years in their system. He is currently 33 years old.